Umbrella,especially of the collapsible type,having a flat cross-sectional shape in closed condition thereof



May 26, 1970 H. WEBER 3,5 3,863

UMBRELLA, ESPECIALLY OF THE COLLAPSIBLE TYPE, HAVING A FLAT CROSS-SECTIONAL SHAPE IN CLOSED CONDITION THEREOF Filed July 26, 1968 Fig/ lnvenlor United States Patent Int. Cl. A45b 19/54, 19/06, 25/00 US. Cl. l3525 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Umbrella, especially of the collapsible type, having a relatively flat cross-sectional shape in closed condition thereof includes a correspondingly flat handle formed with a pair of diametrically opposed pockets for receiving therein tips of roof-supporting ribs of the umbrella, the handle being open at an end thereof facing the roofsupporting ribs and at opposite sides thereof, and being bounded by a flange at an end thereof facing away from the roof-supporting ribs and by flank-like walls at opposite sides thereof intermediate the first-mentioned opposite sides.

My invention relates to umbrella, especially of the collapsible type, having a flat cross-sectional shape in closed condition thereof and a correspondingly flat handle with diametrically opposed pockets for receiving therein tips of roof-supporting ribs of the umbrella.

Handles of the just-mentioned type are known per se, and have a shape which requires the handle to be displaced slightly in the axial direction, after the umbrella roof has been collapsed or closed, in order to secure therein the ends or tips of the roof-supporting ribs of the umbrella.

It is an object of my invention to provide an umbre la having a handle of this type which is, however, a great improvement over those known heretofore due to its greater simplicity and increased stability.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such an umbrella with a handle that is not required to be displaced axially in order to secure the tips or ends of the roof-supporting ribs therein when closing the umbrella. Accordingly, the very same handle of my invention can be used both for an umbrella with a telescopic stick or for an umbrella of the non-collapsible type which has no telescopic stick and therefore does not permit axial displacement of the handle thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I provide an umbrella with a handle formed with a pair of diametrically opposed pockets for receiving therein tips or ends of roof-supporting ribs of the umbrella, the handle being open at the end thereof facing the roof-supporting ribs and at opposite sides thereof, and being bounded by a flange at the end thereof facing away from the roof-supporting ribs and by flank-like walls at opposite sides thereof intermediate the first-mentioned opposite sides.

In accordance with another feature of my invention, the handle of the umbrella has a centrally disposed sleeve or bushing, flattened on the outside thereof, which serves for receiving the case of the umbrella runner therein when the umbrella is of the collapsible type and the umbrella stick has been telescoped.

In accordance with a further feature of my invention, the sleeve or bushing is formed with a slot opening into one of the pockets of the handle serving, when the umbrella stick is shortened, for receiving therein a lateral projection of the umbrella runner.

3,513,863 Patented May 26, 1970 Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in umbrella, especially of the collapsible type, having a flat cross-sectional shape in closed condition thereof, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additOnal objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view of a collapsible umbrella of the flat type with nearly closed roof-supporting frame, and showing in phantom the tips of the roof-supporting ribs in fully closed condition of the umbrella frame;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown an umbrella of the telescoping collapsible type which can fit into a ladys handbag, for example. The umbrella has a basic conventional construction, having a telescopic stick 1 and a crown 2 at one end thereof. Telescopic roofsupporting ribs 3 are pivotally connected to the crown 2 and to one end of respective main struts 4 which are, in turn, pivotally connected at the outer ends thereof to a main runner 7 axially displaceable along the stick 1. Auxiliary struts 5 are pivotally secured between respective main struts 4 and an auxiliary runner 6, also displaceable axially along the stick 1 and located between the crown 2 and the main runner 7. A handle 8 is mounted on the other end of the stick 1 opposite the end carrying the umbrella crown 2.

One must only assume that the crown 2, the auxiliary runner 6, the main runner 7 and the handle 8 are not of circular cylindrical shape, but rather are formed of flat members or somewhat elliptically shaped members so that when the umbrella is closed no cylindrical structure is produced but rather a relatively flat structure. Umbrellas of this general construction are known. For the purpose of the invention, I am concerned only with the structure of the handle 8.

The umbrella handle of my invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is formed of a flange 9 of non-round, strap-like shape which is connected by a transverse pin 10 to the lower end of the umbrella stick 1, as shown in FIG. 1. A sleeve or bushing 11 is joined to the flange 9 at. the surface thereof facing toward the roof-supporting ribs 3 or crown 2, for example, of the umbrella and is bounded by flat surfaces 12. The sleeve 11 serves for receiving therein the runner case or sleeve 13, extending in a conventional manner from a flange portion of the main running 7, when the umbrella is telescoped in order to shorten it. A lateral projection 14 extends ina conventional manner from the runner case 13, and a pawl is spring-mounted in the projection 14. Only the outer, manually actuable end 15 of the pawl is visible in the drawing. To ensure the reception of the runner case 13 and the projection 14 thereof in the sleeve 11 of the umbrella handle 8, the wall of the sleeve 11 is provided 3 the tips or ends 20 of the roof-supporting ribs 3, which are formed of spherical knobs, are inserted into the pockets 19. The roof-supporting rib ends 20' are then further held together in a conventional manner by a nonillustrated rubber band or the like that is commonly employed with umbrellas.

I claim:

1. In an umbrella having a relatively flat cross-sectional shape in closed condition thereof, an umbrella stick, a relatively flat handle located at one end of said stick, said handle comprising a pair of opposed lateral members extending transversely to the axis of said stick, means defining a seat on each lateral member and bounded by walls extending from said lateral members in axial direction of said stick for receiving therein, when the umbrella is in closed condition, ends of roof-supporting ribs pivotally suspended from the other end of said stick, said walls defining an opening at theend of each lateral member through which said roof-supporting ribs are pivotable to and from the seats provided on said lateral members.

2. In an umbrella having a relatively flat cross-sectional shape in closed condition thereof, an umbrella stick, a relatively flat handle located at one end of said stick and formed with a pair of substantially diametrically opposed pockets for receiving therein ends of roof-supporting ribs pivotally suspended from the other end of said stick, said handle being open at one end thereof facing said other end of said stick and being also open at opposite sides thereof, said handle being bounded by a flange at the other end thereof facing away from said other end of said stick and by flank-like walls located at opposite sides thereof intermediate said first-mentioned opposite sides.

3. Umbrella according to claim 1, being of the collapsible type wherein said stick is formed of a plurality of telescoping parts and wherein an umbrella runner having a sleeve portion is displaceable along said stick, including a bushing centrally disposed in said handle and having a flattened external appearance, said sleeve portion of said umbrella runner being receivable in said bushing of said handle in telescoped condition of said stick.

4. In an umbrella of the collapsible type having a relatively flat cross-sectional shape in closed condition thereof, an umbrella stick formed of a plurality of telescoping parts, an umbrella runner displaceable along said stick and comprising a sleeve portion, a relatively flat handle located at one end of said stick and formed with a pair of substantially diametrically opposed pockets for receiving therein ends of roof-supporting ribs pivotally suspended from the other end of said stick, said handle being open at one end thereof facing said other end of said stick and being also open at opposite sides thereof, said handle being bounded by a flange at the other end thereof facing away fromsaid other end of said stick and by flank-like walls located at opposite sides thereof intermediate said first-mentioned opposite sides, a bushing centrally disposed in said handle and having a flattened external appearance, said sleeve portion of said umbrella runner being receivable in saidbushing of said handle in telescoped condition of said stick, said runner having a lateral projection extending therefrom, said bushing in said handle being formed with a slot opening into one of said pockets of said handle whereby said lateral projection is able to be'accommodated in said slot and said one pocket when said sleeve portion of said umbrella runner is received in said bushing in telescoped condition of said stick.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,491,622 7/1967 France.

PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

